Advances in Xenotransplantation, 3D Additive Bioprinting and Gene Therapy for the future of Heart Transplantation

Abstract

Heart transplantation (HTx) has proved itself to be the definite therapy for patients with end- stage cardiac failure. While HTx remains the cornerstone of the surgical armamentarium, it,s long- term success has resulted in an unbalanced supply- demand equation due to severe scarcity of valid organ donors. Therefore, further developments in the field of transplant therapy remain curtailed, unless other resources are encouraged. The present report is a review on the concept evolution, present status and reasonable outlook of three different, but confluent, emerging therapies, namely, a) xenotransplantation, b) 3D additive bioprinting and c) gene therapy.